Asthma Management In Educational Settings

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Asthma Management In Educational Settings

• Custodian and Food Service Workers Education
  Module

2
Overview

• Asthma Basics
• How to help students control asthma
• Reduce triggers
• Recognize symptoms
• How to handle an asthma emergency
• Resources

3
Asthma Basics

• What is asthma?
• Chronic lung condition that causes breathing
  problems (asthma attacks)
• Manageable disease
• Who has asthma?
• 4.8M US, 150K (1 in 10) Washington children
• Seriousness of disease varies from student to
  student

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Asthma Basics (cont.)

• What happens during an asthma attack?
• Airways in lungs become smaller extra fluid in
  airways can further block air
• Symptoms include coughing, wheezing, chest
  tightness, shortness of breath
• What can trigger an asthma attack?
• Respiratory illness, allergens, weather,
  irritants, emotions, exercise
• Students may have different triggers

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Asthma Basics (cont.)
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How to Help Students Control Asthma Reduce
Triggers

• Cockroaches and other pests
• Look for signs do not leave food, water or
  garbage exposed remove pest pathways and
  shelters and use pest control products
• Mold
• Second-hand smoke
• Dust mites
• Regularly clean floors, upholstered furniture,
  pillows, etc.
• Volatile Organic Compound exposure
• Use safer alternatives for felt-tip pens,
  cleaning materials and art supplies

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How to Help Students Control Asthma Reduce
Triggers

• Cockroaches and other pests
• Look for signs do not leave food, water or
  garbage exposed remove pest pathways and
  shelters and use pest control products
• Mold
• Clean up mold and control moisture
• Second-hand smoke
• Enforce no-smoking policies in the school
• Dust mites
• Regularly clean floors, upholstered furniture,
  etc.
• Certain cleaning materials and felt-tip pens
• Evaluate materials and use safe alternatives

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How to Help Students Control Asthma Recognize
Symptoms

• Know students early warning signs, for example
• Coughing
• Stuffy or runny nose
• Tiredness
• Easily bothered/annoyed
• Know students asthma attack signs, for example
• Becoming scared
• Wheezing while breathing
• Constant coughing
• Tightness in chest
• Shortness of breath
• Sweaty, clammy skin

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How to Handle an Asthma Emergency

• Contact the school nurse
• Encourage student to relax and take slow, deep
  breaths
• Always have someone accompany the student with
  asthma symptoms when going to the office or
  nurses office

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How to Handle an Asthma Emergency (cont.)

• Call 911 if
• Medications are not available and student has
  signs of asthma attack
• Lips or nail beds turn gray or blue (students
  with light complexions)
• Paling of lips or nail beds (students with dark
  complexions)
• Decreasing or loss of consciousness

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Resources

• Spokane
• Camp Champ
• Statewide
• www.alaw.org
• Websites
• www.asthmabusters.org
• www.asthmaandschools.org
• www.lungusa.org